Kennedy Rips Gonzalez
Ted has had enough. (Via MyDD) In a letter outlining the reasons why Gonzalez should not be AG, the Massachussetts Senator says:

The continuing effort to blame the torture scandal on a "few bad apples" among our soldiers while rewarding Mr. Gonzales with promotion to Attorney General is a despicable signal for America to send the world. We should not support a nominee who has done so much to harm America's basic interests and fundamental values.

It would seem that all the Senate Dems (who have shown a remarkable unity against Bush's Social Security plans) are planning or seriously considering voting against Gonzalez, except for newly elected Ken Salazar from Colorado. They could filibuster this successfully and keep him from being appointed. The question remains if this nomination is worth that kind of fight. In the Washington Post, Kevin Drum explains how the rules have changed under Republican control to leave filibuster as nearly the only way for a minority party to register their opposition to a Presidential appointment. It hasn't always been that way--I didn't know. It's interesting/depressing.